


if I'm a thief then you can join the heist

by komhmagnus



Series: Flufftober 2018 [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, chairman is a thief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-25 04:48:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16190399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/komhmagnus/pseuds/komhmagnus
Summary: for flufftober day 4:  key





	if I'm a thief then you can join the heist

**Author's Note:**

> title is from ...Ready for It by Taylor Swift

His neighbor’s cat was a menace.

Alec liked to think of himself as a patient man.  He could handle a few socks going missing every now and then.  Maybe even a few cookies off of the counter or snacks from the kitchen.  Hell, he could even deal with a few holes being torn into his sweaters. “It’s not like most of them didn’t have holes already,” Izzy  _ lovingly _ pointed out when he’d complained to her.

But his car key--that crossed a line.  Petty crime had been one thing--a nuisance at worst.  This was grand theft auto.

_ A cat stole my car _ .  Alec shook his head, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

 

**TO:  Izzy -- 10:38 A.M.**

**\--Hey, I’m gonna be late, the cat stole my car key**

 

**FROM:  Izzy -- 10:38 A.M.**

**\--You’re joking, right?**

 

**TO:  Izzy -- 10:39 A.M.**

**\--Unfortunately, no**

 

**FROM:  Izzy -- 10:39 A.M.**

**\--Okay, I’ll cover for you**

**\--Good luck with the grand theft cato**

 

**TO:  Izzy -- 10:39 A.M.**

**\--You’re the best and also I hate you**

 

His mother was going to kill him when he finally made it upstate.  If there were two things Maryse Lightwood was fond of, it was family dinners and punctuality.  He understood, though. She’d been through a lot in the last few years, finding out Robert was cheating on her, divorcing him, and suddenly raising his little brother by herself.  She wanted to hold onto her family, to the love. Alec could hardly blame her for that. Besides, he loved spending time with his family, especially his little brother.

Deciding he did  _ not _ have enough time to hope the cat suddenly developed a conscience, Alec stood from the couch and strode out of his apartment, knocking on his neighbor’s door before he could lose his nerve.

The door opened to the most beautiful man Alec had ever seen, but he pushed that to the side.  He didn’t have time for distractions today--even if the distraction was his incredibly gorgeous neighbor.   _ I’m fucked _ .

“Hi, your cat stole my car key,” Alec started.  “And some socks and probably other things I don’t know about, but the key is why I’m here, so that other stuff really isn’t important right now,” he added, words falling out of him before he could stop them.  Okay, maybe he  _ was _ just a tiny bit distracted.

The man blinked.  “I have so many questions,” he said, squinting at Alec as though he were crazy.  He probably was, Alec thought. “First of all, why do you have a car in New York City? No one drives here.”

Alec gaped, his mouth hanging open for a second before speaking.  “I go upstate to visit my family a lot. Or at least, my Mom and little brother.  My other two siblings don’t live up there, but they visit, too.” He really wasn’t sure why he was talking so much.

The man didn’t seem to mind, though.  He laughed. “Okay, one mystery solved.  Come on in, let’s go see what my little thief has been up to,” he said, moving away from the door to invite Alec in.  

“Thanks.  I’m Alec, by the way.  Alec Lightwood.”

“Short for Alexander?” the man asked.

“Yeah, but no one calls me that, really.”

“Nice to meet you, Alexander.  I’m Magnus Bane,” Magnus said, reaching out to shake Alec’s hand.

“I do apologize for whatever delinquency the Chairman has been up to,” Magnus said as Alec took a moment to glance around the apartment.  It was more spacious than his own, and definitely better decorated. All of Alec’s furniture had come from second hand stores or IKEA, but Magnus’s decorations seemed to be from all over the world.  Ornate rugs and various antiques decorated every surface.

“Your cat’s name is the Chairman?”

“Chairman Meow, actually.”

“You--you named your cat after Mao Zedong? 

“He doesn’t usually commit grand theft auto.  Or would it be grand theft cato?”

Alec groaned, earning a confused look from Magnus.  “My sister made the same joke earlier.”

Magnus laughed, a pleasantly surprised smile on his face.  “Great minds tend to think alike. I think your sister and I would be great friends.”

“Probably.  Izzy gets along with everyone.”

“Then I’ll have to meet her sometime,” Magnus said.  He led Alec into the bedroom. Alec hovered by the door, unsure if he should enter.  “Chairman tends to hide his contraband under my bed,” Magnus explained. He knelt down and peered under the bed, and Alec 100% definitely did  _ not _ take the moment to appreciate his neighbor’s butt.  Not at all.

“Aha!” Magnus said, pulling something out from under the bed.  He stood and held up Alec’s key. “I suppose this is yours. Lovely key chain,” he grinned.

Alec’s cheeks caught on fire as he saw Magnus grinning at the little stuffed koala bear hanging from his keychain.  “My, uh, my little brother gave it to me when he was five,” he explained as they walked back through the apartment.

“That’s adorable.  I’m glad you were able to get it back, then.”

“Yeah, um.  Thank you, and sorry for bothering you,” Alec said.

“Really, it was no bother.  I’ll have to see what I can do about my kleptomaniac cat,” Magnus laughed.

“I should get going, I’m already going to be late to my mom’s house as it is,” Alec said, reluctantly inching towards the door.

“Of course.  Why don’t I give you my number?” Magnus asked.  “So you can call me if the Chairman causes anymore trouble.  Or I could take you out to drinks sometime?”

“Like a date?” Alec asked.

“Yes,” Magnus said, a nervous look in his eye.  “Or, if you’d prefer, just to apologize for my cat’s antics.”

“How about next Friday?” Alec asked, handing over his phone.  “I’ll text you later and we can figure out a time?”

“Next Friday is perfect,” Magnus said as he entered his number and handed the phone back.

“Then it’s a date,” Alec said, grinning at Magnus.

Magnus beamed as he held the door open for Alec.  Izzy was  _ never _ going to believe this.

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! comments and kudos are appreciated <3  
> you can find me on tumblr and twitter @banesapothecary


End file.
